Council Hall – A drug shipment hidden in cars and a ready-to-use weapon. This is what investigators discovered during a high-impact operation along the the highway A2 Mediterranean motorway, at the Padula-Buonabitacolo junction.
Three people – two men and a woman, all between the ages of 32 and 35, originally from the province of Cosenza – were arrested on serious charges: possession of narcotics with intent to sell and illegal possession of a firearm.
The blitz on the highway
The operation began on the afternoon of Wednesday 25 September. The agents of the Matera Flying Squad, supported by the SISCO of Potenza and the Police Policeof Sala Consilina, had been keeping an eye on the three for some time. Tailing, stakeouts, and targeted investigative activity allowed them to intercept the two suspicious vehicles as they were traveling northbound on the road.
The arrest was quick: the patrols blocked the cars in a security area, preventing any escape attempts.
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The discovery in the hidden compartments
The search left no doubt. Concealed inside the cars, in carefully constructed compartments to avoid detection, were over three and a half kilos of ultra-pure cocaine. Alongside the drugs, the officers also found a semi-automatic pistol with the serial number erased, complete with a magazine containing eight rounds: a detail that makes the three couriers' trip even more disturbing.
A half-million euro deal
Investigators estimate that the cocaine, once cut and released on the market, could have fetched over €500. A huge turnover that suggests connections with well-organized drug trafficking networks.
The arrested individuals are now at the disposal of the judicial authorities. Investigators do not rule out the possibility that the seized shipment is linked to a larger criminal network, active in supplying drug dealing hubs in Southern and Central Italy.
The seizure represents a severe blow to drug trafficking along the Tyrrhenian coast and highlights, once again, how the A2 is one of the most popular routes for drug couriers.
Comments (2)
It's truly disturbing to see how drugs and guns are so readily available. We need more enforcement along the highways, especially in areas where there's a lot of suspicious activity.
Yes, I agree with you, the situation is worrying. We hope the authorities will step up enforcement operations to prevent these crimes from continuing to thrive.